While the publication of peer-reviewed research findings remains the gold standard for distributing ideas in the academic community, the sharing of information prior to official publication has long been done by authors. Today, many authors publish preliminary versions of research manuscripts to online preprint servers that can be accessed by other interested researchers around the world.
As the wealthy entrepreneurs Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, and Elon Musk continue to funnel large portions of their personal fortunes into new technology for space exploration, interest in the possibility of humans return to the Moon as a stepping stone to eventual travel to Mars continues to grow. With the prospect of private spaceflight approaching reality, discussion of a continuous human presence on the Moon raises the issue of history and the legacy of the pioneers who conducted the first surface-based exploration of the Moon.
In November 2020, the major academic publisher Springer Nature announced a long-awaited program that will allow authors to publish their research findings in the Nature family of journals with full open access. Beginning in 2021, this program provides authors with an alternative to the subscription-only model of publishing currently followed by these journals.
Despite the start of a new year, most people remain acutely aware of the importance of taking all the necessary steps to keep themselves safe and healthy. One obviously important factor in our health is our diet. Coincidentally, this year has been declared by the United Nations General Assembly and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables.
